The present invention pertains generally to valves for containers and more specifically to a valve that permits selection of one of a number of fluids from within a multi-chambered container utilizing a single dispensing method.
Previously, there have been many types of valves used to provide an effective means to pre-select a specific fluid from a multi-chambered container.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that possess the novelty of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,739 discloses a combined closure and liquid pumping device that screws onto a container. The invention also includes a pump with a nozzle connected to a conduit within the container. The pump includes check valves and the nozzle has the capability of being adjustable to the extent that it may be shut off completely.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,478 discloses a hand sprayer that has a body with a cylinder and stock portion, along with a piston and a handle. The piston includes a through passage integrally formed therein, and a check valve with a one piece resilient element. A spraying cartridge with a resilient element having a recess in which a spring seats forms a piston ring, thus preventing leakage. A spring returns the piston after operation of the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,431 discloses a single pump used to dispense liquid from one of a number of compartments in a container. The pump is mounted on the container vessel and rotates with respect to the container to select the liquid to be pumped and dispensed. An elbow tube is positioned above a dip tube located in each chamber of the container, and an O-ring in each tube prevents leakage while allowing the desired compartment to be in communication with the pump.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,275 is my prior patent upon which the instant improvements are based. The invention is for an adapter that is mounted between a liquid containing vessel having multiple chambers, and a conventional hand sprayer pump. The adapter has at least two inlet ports that are in respective communication with a single outlet port. An outer housing is affixed to the pump head and an inner housing is releasably affixed to reservoirs. The position of the outer housing may be manually rotated with respect to the inner housing and its location is determined by means of a compression spring-loaded detent. Rotation of the outer housing sequentially selects the desired intake port of the fluid container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,350 discloses a pump apparatus for dispensing a selected compartment in a container having multiple compartments. Each compartment is communicated with dip tubes opening through bores located in a base disposed at the top of the container. A thumb wheel with a single bore is rotated to select the appropriate bore. The thumb wheel is accessed through a window in the pump with indicia indicating the selection.
Kazarian, et al. in U.S. Pat. 5,685,351 discloses my filler adapter mounted on the open end of a multichambered container. The device permits individual chambers to be emptied or filled without contaminating adjacent chambers. The adapter has a closing means that engages the container and includes plugs and a gasket that seals all but a selected chamber. An opening overlays the selected chamber and communicates with a conical lumen within the adapter. A funnel may be placed in the opening of the conical lumen for filling. Draining is accomplished by inverting the container.
The invention is directed to a number of improvements to my U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,275 which have simplified construction, enhanced operational characteristics and adaptability to other dispensing methods.
The primary object of the instant invention is to incorporate a simplified manufacturing process by the use of a single unitary injection molded, spring detent. Previously two plastic rod-shaped detents were utilized, with a compression spring in-between which was positioned within a bore that penetrated the inner housing. This approach requires additional time to separately install the individual parts, thereby making robotic assembly techniques extremely difficult since the parts are small and must sequentially fit into the bore of the housing. The improved molded spring detent is fabricated as a single unitary member of injection molded plastic, and the inner housing has been modified to contain a mating groove on its sides which permits the discrete detent to be installed by simply urging it into the groove from the side and snapping it into in place. When installed, the detent has sufficient resiliency to force the extending polymer spring shaped arms outward and to spring back after being compressed, in exactly the same manner as a conventional spring loaded detent.
An important object of the invention, at least in the first two embodiments, is the incorporation of a straight through flow path within the valve which permits adequate drainage and venting without the necessity of using check valves. This improvement simplifies construction as not only is a two part assembly eliminated but the entire check valve is no longer required, thus enhancing the reliability of the valve.
Another object of the invention is the use of an improved upper gasket with molded-in port and perimeter o-rings. Previously, in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,275 the upper gasket was simply a flat one-piece gasket with multiple ports created for the fluid flow path. Unfortunately, it was discovered that when the gasket was formed perfectly flat it provided too much surface area, thus resulting in excessive friction between the upper gasket and rotating outer housing. The improved molded-in port and perimeter o-rings, which are integrally formed on both sides of the gasket, have a raised radial surface with a groove in the middle. The radial surface forms not only a vacuum-tight seal, but the double lip configuration made by the groove permits the material to compress with a minimum of friction and considerably less abrasion when rotating.
Still another object of the invention permits all components in the fluid selection valve to be capable of being assembled by automated robotic disciplines or a simple by hand snap fit assembly means. This ease of assembly is accomplished by the use of molded-in snap beams and slots located at two vertical locations as described infra in detail.
Yet another object of the invention is the reduction of component parts which is accomplished by the use of the integral molded spring detent described supra. The single element reduces the number of detent parts from the previously required three individual components to one easily handled and assembled part.
Another object of the invention is that the assembly of the spring detent into the inner housing forms xe2x80x9cdualxe2x80x9d opposing single fin guides which were previously embodied in the inner housing of my U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,275.
The final object of the invention is the flexibility of application, in that three embodiments of the outer housing are taught. The first embodiment is for a spout-shaped outer housing which permits both powders and liquids to be poured from the container, and by rotating the housing a shut-off position is attained. The second embodiment is for an outer housing with an upright spout with a push-pull closure on the distal end. This embodiment permits liquids to be dispensed from the container by pulling up the closure with one""s fingers and closing is accomplished by pushing the closure. An improvement in the push-pull closure utilizes a molded-in plug in the closure which plugs the hole in the upright spout of the outer housing, rather than a conventional closure approach wherein the plug in the upright closes off the hole in the closure.
The third embodiment permits the invention to be adaptable to trigger spray bottles, much like my former U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,275 however, improvements have been made in the form of a pair of finger lift ledges and a pinch guard added to the outer surface of the outer housing. The pair of lift ledges protrude from the outer housing, thus allowing a single finger to support the entire container including the valve and trigger sprayer. This is a distinct advantage, as this addition permits valve use with symmetrically-shaped bottles which allows more volume in a reduced space, relative to offset and finger-grooved bottles. The pinch guard utility is also provided by the pair of protruding ledges, as one ledge is formed on each side of the trigger to prevent a user""s finger from being pinched when the trigger is repetitiously squeezed. This improvement precludes the use of a more costly bottle configuration which would require molding in one side of the container or adding finger grooves, since the invention accomplishes the same task with a symmetrical bottle at no unnecessary expense.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.